End-gate fastening for vehicles.



I Wifgssg I 5 4/ by 1 No. 743,452. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

W. K. CLARKE. END GATE FASTENING FOR VEHICLES.

.APPLIOATIONIILBD MAY 13, 1903. N0 MODEL.

l-mlllllllllll" I v J, I III Q yr g J 3 ll 6 4 9 29 Z\ I 1 M g w I 7/ x b 5 g UNITED STATES Patented November 10,1903. l

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM K. CLARKE, OF WEATHERFORD, TEXAS.

END-GATE FASTENING FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,452, dated November 10, 1903.

Application filed May 13, 1903.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM K. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weatherford, in the county of Parker and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in End-Gate Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to end-gate fasteners,

and has for its objects to produce a device of this character which will be simple of construction, efficient in operation, one in which the end-gate will be securely and automatically locked in its closed position, and one in which the parts may be readily manipulated for releasing the end-gate to permit opening of the same.

With these ends in view the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a vehicle-body, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation showing the gate in its closed position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gate-holdin g latch depressed preparatory to opening the gate.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the side boards, and 2 the bottom board, of a vehicle-body, which parts may be of the usual or any desired construction and of any suitable material, inasmuch as they constitute no part of my invention.

3 indicates the end-gate, to the outer face of which is bolted or otherwise secured cleats 4, which extend transversely of the end-gate in parallel relation and one adjacent to either end thereof. The end-gate is pivoted upon a horizontal rod 5, which extends transversely of the vehicle-body adjacent to the top of the same and has its ends'secured in any suitable manner to the side boards 1. This rod extends loosely through suitable perforations formed through the cleats 4, near the upper ends thereof, and the gate is adapted to swing upon the rod as a pivot when opened or closed. Secured to each of the side boards 1, just in advance of the endgate 3, is a vertical cleat 6, which terminates in height slightly below the longitudinal center of the pivoting-rod 5 and has its upper end Serial No. 156,979. (No model.)

downwardly and outwardly beveled, as at 7. When the end-gate is in its closed position, it bears at its inner face against the cleats 6, and when-moved to an open position the upper inner edge of the gate bears frictionally upon the beveled upper ends of the cleats for maintaining the gate in its open position.

8 indicates a latch-plate, which is secured to the rear end of the bottom board 2 and is provided with upwardlyextending ears 9, which terminate at their upper ends flush with the upper surface of the board and between which is pivoted the outer ends of a latch 10, which extends inward longitudinally of the vehicle-body and normally bears at its inner end upon the outer face of the end-gate at the lower edge of the same. The inner end of the latch 10 is bent downward at right angles and extends through an orifice 11, formed for its reception in the bottom board of the vehicle, and finally has its terminal bent at right angles, asat 12, for engagement beneath the bottom board 2, which limits the upward movement of the inner end of the latch and also prevents escape of the same from the orifice 11. The inner end of the latch is normally maintained in position for engaging the end-gate by means of a leafspring 14, which is riveted to the under face of the latch 10 and lies within a recess 15, formed in the bottom board 2, the recess 15 being of suitable form and of a depth sufficient to receive the latch when in its depressed gate-releasing position.

The latch is depressed for releasing the gate by means of a cam-lever 16, which is pivoted to the end-gate near its lower edge and in position to depress the latch. This lever normally occupies a substantially horizontal position and is provided with an operating-handle 17 and a cam-face 18, and when in its normal position the end of the handle rests upon a pin 19 and the head of the lever engages beneath a stop or pin 20, which latter also serves as an abutment for the lever when turned to a vertical position for releasing the latch.

In practice supposing the gate to be closed and that it is desired to open the same, the lever 16 is manipulated for depressing the latch into the recess 15 against the action of the spring 14, when the gateway be freely swung upon the rod 5 to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and held in such position by the frictional engagement of the gate with the cleats 6. When it is desired to close the gate, the same is swung downward upon its pivot and the lower edge of the gate bearing upon the latch depresses the same until the gate arrives at its fullyclosed position, when the latch will be released and will automatically spring into ongagement with the gate.

From the foregoing it will-be seen that I produce a simple and efficient mechanism which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view, and it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein shown and described, in asm uch as minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a vehicle-body comprising side and bottom boards, of a transverse rod extending between the side boards, an endgate pivoted upon the transverse rod,aspringactuated latch pivotally connected with the bottom board and normally engaging the endgate, and a cam-lever pivoted to the end-gate and operable for actuating the latch to release the gate.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a vehicle-body comprising side and bottom boards, of a transverse rod extending between the side boards, an endgate pivoted upon the transverse rod, a latch pivotally connected with the bottom board, a leaf-spring arranged beneath the latch and maintaining the same normally in engagement with the end-gate, and a cam-lever pivoted to the end-gate'and operable for actuating the latch to release the gate.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a vehicle-body comprising side boards and a bottom board, the latter provided with a longitudinal recess, ofa transverse rod extending between the side boards, an end-gate pivoted upon the transverse rod, a latch pivotally associated with the bottom board within the recess and depressible by the end-gate, a leaf-spring situated within the recess beneath the latch and maintaining the same normally in engagement with the end-gate, and a cam-lever pivoted to the endgate and operable for actuating the latch to release the gate.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a vehicle-body comprising side boards and a bottom board, the latter provided with a longitudinal recess terminating in an orifice, of a transverse rod extending between the side boards, an end-gate pivoted upon the transverse rod, a latch pivotally associated with the bottom board within the recess and having a depending portion extending through the orifice with its terminal angularly bent, a leaf-spring situated within the recess beneath the latch and maintaining the same normally in engagement with the endgate, and a cam-lever pivoted to the end-gate and operable for depressing the latch to release the gate. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

W. K. CLARKE.

WVitnesses:

H. L. MOSELEY, J. B. WORLEY. 

